Water Quality Legend

Current Status

Grey means water quality information for the beach is too old (more than 7 days old) to be considered current, or that info is unavailable, or unreliable.

Historical Status

When swimming season is over or when a beach's water quality data has not been updated frequently enough (weekly) it goes into historical status. This means that rather than displaying current data it displays the beach's average water quality for that year.

Green means the beach passed water quality tests 95% of the time or more.

Yellow means the beach passed water quality tests 60-95% of the time.

Red means the beach failed water quality tests 40% of the time or more.

Special Status

We may manually set the status for a specific beach if we have concerns about the sampling protocol, if there is an emergency, if monitoring practices don't exist or have recently changed, or other reasons that render this site "special."

Green means the beach has historically excellent or pristine water quality, but there is no current data.

Red means the water at the site has water quality issues or there is an emergency.

Grey means there is no current water quality information, the beach is under construction, there has been an event that has rendered water quality information unreliable or unavailable.

See the beach description for more information regarding their special status.

How to be safe on the water in multi-use areas

One of the most exciting trends happening in our cities’ waterways is the increasing number of people participating in recreational activities. More and more recreational water users are reclaiming “working waters,” urban and commercial zones, as their playgrounds. Kayakers, stand up paddle boarders, canoeists, dragon boaters, surfers, wind and kite surfers, and anglers are out on the water alongside row boats, commercial vessels, powerboats, ferries, sailboats, and oyster diggers. Even swimmers and divers are jumping back into the water in high-use areas.

Joe Berridge, a partner at Urban Strategies, says the explosion of rec water use in our downtowns is due in large part to the move of port lands out of city centres. According to Berridge, “the great port cities of the world are becoming great waterfront cities.”

London, Pittsburgh, Toronto, Boston, Buffalo, Vancouver, Chicago, and New York are just a few places where people use their cities’ waterways for more than just moving shipments and discharging effluent.

But, when it comes to health and safety, there are more than just sewage outfalls, storm water overflows, and other urban effluents to worry about. Lots of different kinds of vessels and activities on the water all at once can be dangerous if you don’t know the rules of the road. Do you know how to be safe on the water in multi-use areas?

Rules of the water road

Disregard for speed limits, disrespect for other recreational water users, inattentiveness, and making waves are just a few of the behaviours that can make a trip out on the water especially dangerous in areas where multiple water-related activities are taking place. Here is a list of rules to follow when out on the water in multi-use areas.

Wear a lifejacket or personal flotation device (PFD): There is no doubt about it, lifejackets and PFDs are the difference between life and death. In Canada, recreational water activities account for 62% of all drownings. In 81% of boating deaths, including power boats, canoes, kayaks, sailboats, and rowboats, the person was not wearing a PDF or lifejacket. (In the USA, the figure is 85%). No matter what kind of vessel you are in, if you are heading out in a multi-use area, put on your lifejacket or PFD.

Check the weather and water conditions: Weather changes fast. Being out on the water during a storm, or in unfavourable conditions can lead to an accident. Know what the water and weather in the area is like before you head out.

Know what you are going to do if you are in an emergency situation: What will you do if your canoe flips over in cold water? What if someone on your boat falls overboard? Be prepared. Practice. Take courses.

Be aware of the capabilities of your vessel, and of your own abilities: Don’t press your vessel over its limitations. And don’t put yourself in a situation beyond your abilities. This is particularly important in self-powered watercraft, like kayaks and paddle boards.Photo by Rawdonfox

Know the rules of the road: Do you know what side of the river you are supposed to be on when you head out in your canoe? What does that blinking buoy signal? At what speed are you supposed to be cruising at in the marina? Know the rules and regulations of the waterbody where you are recreating.

Maintain your vessel and safety equipment: A boat is self contained unit. If it’s not seaworthy, that spells trouble. If your vessel breaks down out in the water, that spells double trouble. Remember that. Always ensure your vessel and equipment is in tip top shape, especially at the start of season.

Take courses: Everyone benefits when you have the knowledge you need to be out on the water. There are great courses on every type of recreational water activity, and most include safety training. Whether you’re in a yacht or wind surfing for the first time, take a course.

Have respect for other boaters and recreational water users: Respect everyone on the water, big and small.

You don’t have to be swimming to be vulnerable to water pollution. Participating in recreational water activities other than swimming does not exempt you from the health risks associated with poor water quality. Recreational water activities with limited water contact can also put you at risk of contracting an illness or infection. Secondary contact recreational ...

Swim Guide was created to help answer questions about the quality of the water in order to help prevent people from getting sick. Our priority is to help people avoid waterborne illnesses by making it easy to see whether or not water has met or failed to meet recreational water quality criteria. Is the water ...

There are three types of sewer systems: wastewater, stormwater and combined. Combined sewer systems collect domestic and industrial wastewater, as well as stormwater together in one pipe. The purpose of combined sewer systems is to transport this combination of sewage and rainwater to a wastewater treatment plant for processing. Combined sewers are less of a ...

It’s no secret that people love dogs.There is no better way to bond with your furry friend than taking your dog for a walk. Dogs are members of approximately 35% of households in Canada (About 7.8 million dogs). Similarly, 37-47% of households in the US also count a dog, numbering between 70 – 80million dogs. ...

You don’t have to be swimming to be vulnerable to water pollution. Participating in recreational water activities other than swimming does not exempt you from the health risks associated with poor water quality. Recreational water activities with limited water contact can also put you at risk of contracting an illness or infection. Secondary contact recreational ...

Swim Guide was created to help answer questions about the quality of the water in order to help prevent people from getting sick. Our priority is to help people avoid waterborne illnesses by making it easy to see whether or not water has met or failed to meet recreational water quality criteria. Is the water ...

There are three types of sewer systems: wastewater, stormwater and combined. Combined sewer systems collect domestic and industrial wastewater, as well as stormwater together in one pipe. The purpose of combined sewer systems is to transport this combination of sewage and rainwater to a wastewater treatment plant for processing. Combined sewers are less of a ...

It’s no secret that people love dogs.There is no better way to bond with your furry friend than taking your dog for a walk. Dogs are members of approximately 35% of households in Canada (About 7.8 million dogs). Similarly, 37-47% of households in the US also count a dog, numbering between 70 – 80million dogs. ...

You don’t have to be swimming to be vulnerable to water pollution. Participating in recreational water activities other than swimming does not exempt you from the health risks associated with poor water quality. Recreational water activities with limited water contact can also put you at risk of contracting an illness or infection. Secondary contact recreational ...

Swim Guide was created to help answer questions about the quality of the water in order to help prevent people from getting sick. Our priority is to help people avoid waterborne illnesses by making it easy to see whether or not water has met or failed to meet recreational water quality criteria. Is the water ...

There are three types of sewer systems: wastewater, stormwater and combined. Combined sewer systems collect domestic and industrial wastewater, as well as stormwater together in one pipe. The purpose of combined sewer systems is to transport this combination of sewage and rainwater to a wastewater treatment plant for processing. Combined sewers are less of a ...

It’s no secret that people love dogs.There is no better way to bond with your furry friend than taking your dog for a walk. Dogs are members of approximately 35% of households in Canada (About 7.8 million dogs). Similarly, 37-47% of households in the US also count a dog, numbering between 70 – 80million dogs. ...

Swim Guide shares the best information we have at the moment you ask for it. Always obey signs at the beach or advisories from official government agencies. Stay alert and check for other swimming hazards such as dangerous currents and tides. Please report your pollution concerns so Affiliates can help keep other beach-goers safe.
Swim Guide, "Swim Drink Fish icons," and associated trademarks are owned by Lake Ontario Waterkeeper.| See Legal.